The Department “Interfaces, Physical Chemistry and Polymers” (IP2) consists of 18 permanent staff (2 Research Directors and 3 Researchers of the CNRS, 2 University Professors and 11 Associated-Professors). The IP2 department, led by Damien Quémener and Sophie Tingry, develops scientific projets on the synthesis and physico-chemistry of polymers, bio-inspired and biosourced membranes, the characterization of interfaces by innovative spectroscopic techniques and the study of ion transport applied to membrane systems, the physico-chemistry of chemical and electrochemical materials and systems applied to energy, health and water treatment.
Three main themes are developed within the department:
Ionic & electrochimistry
M. Cretin, Ph. Da Costa, S. Deabate, Y. Holade, P. Huguet, S. Lacour, S. Lagerge, Ph. Sistat & S. Tingry
Bioinspired Membranes
T. Thami
Advanced Macromolecular Materials
C. Antonelli, A. Deratani, S. Li, D. Quemener, C. Pochat-Bohatier, M. Rolland & M. Semsarilar
Through these activities, the IP2 department contributes to the development of membrane systems for health (new bioinspired membranes and interfaces), energy through fuel cells and biofuel cells (development of electrodes, membranes and interfaces and Operando characterization), water treatment (desalination, advanced electrochemical oxidation …) and analysis (sensors and microsensors). New pathways are followed either to prepare new materials through the self-assembly of (co)polymers, or via the miniaturization based on the concepts of nano and microfluidics.
The IP2 department has specific equipment for the characterization of polymeric membrane materials (AFM, gel permeation chromatography, rheometer, streaming potential, wettability measurement, filtration and electrodialysis pilot), in spectroscopy Raman (IR and fluorescence) and in electrochemistry (potentiostat / galvanostat, impedance analyzer, quartz crystal microbalance, electrolysis cells …).
The IP2 department is at the head of the French-Russian Associated Laboratory CNRS-UM-ENSCM “MEIPA: Ion Exchange Membranes and Associated Processes” (2011-2014 & 2015-2018) since its creation.
